Global investments in Nature-based Solutions for water security doubled over the past decade

The most comprehensive assessment ever published of money flowing into nature-based solutions (NbS) for water security reveals that total investment in this sector doubled over the decade 2013-2023—growing from ~US$22.4B in 2013 to ~$49B by the end of this timeframe.  

Published by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Forest Trends, the new report Doubling Down on Nature: State of Investment in Nature-based Solutions for Water Security, 2025 underlines growing confidence in the power of these approaches among investors and policymakers. While the sector is dominated by government funding (97%), the findings highlight the accelerating rate at which private finance is rising while also showing how even major economic slowdowns like the COVID pandemic failed to dampen this growing interest.  

The report explores ten years’ worth of data from across 140 countries, creating a compelling, region-by-region comparison of how the power of nature is increasingly being harnessed—across more than 1,645 individual initiatives—to safeguard drinking water supplies, decrease flood risk and conserve freshwater ecosystems. It also examines efforts to mitigate against hazards, including landslides and floods, via interventions like forest restoration and floodplain management. 

Commenting on the report’s publication, Daniel Shemie, The Nature Conservancy’s Global Director for Resilient Freshwater, said: “As the climate and biodiversity crises accelerate, it's fantastic to see public and private spending recognize the power of nature to safeguard drinking water supplies and shrink the impact of natural disasters.

“More important than talk is money—and, while private finance is still a comparative drop in the ocean—the 30x growth over the past decade and growing momentum behind user-driven investments give reason for optimism, especially as public funding and foreign assistance comes under pressure in many parts of the world,” he adds. 

While the major economic blocs, China, the European Union, and the United States, accounted for 94% of total investment between 2013-23, notably it was Africa that experienced the fastest growth over this timeframe (5X). Other regions outside the ‘Big Three,’ like Oceania, also gained significant momentum. Rapid growth in user-driven investments—funded by direct beneficiaries of watershed services like utilities, cities, and corporations—was another key trend over the period, while innovative mechanisms, like water funds, debt swaps, and green bonds, continue to proliferate in this space.

Mitigating flood risk was identified as the most powerful motivation for NbS interventions over this timeframe. Water quality was another key driver behind interventions that typically targeted the protection and restoration of forest and riparian ecosystems, alongside grasslands, shrublands and wetlands. 

The report also makes recommendations for how to diversify and accelerate investment in NbS for water security, from building resilient revenue models and strengthening policy frameworks, to empowering local knowledge and leadership. 

“For the first time in a decade, we have a truly global and comprehensive dataset showing how and where investments in nature for water are growing—and why,” said Gena Gammie, Director of the Global Water Initiative at Forest Trends. “This report makes clear that NbS are no longer fringe solutions. They are becoming mainstream tools for managing water and climate risks. That gives us a powerful opportunity to focus on what’s working, learn from emerging innovations, and direct resources where they can deliver the greatest impact. Scaling effective solutions has never been more urgent.” 

To download the full report, Doubling Down on Nature: State of Investment in Nature-based Solutions for Water Security, 2025, visit Nature.org. 

To learn more about how The Nature Conservancy is working globally to secure the resilience of freshwater ecosystems for people and planet, visit: resilientwatersheds.nature.org